Half to judson f



(No Model.)

D. E. TERRILL.

CHANGBABLE BILL 0F FARB.

No. 391,765. Patented Oct. 23, 1888.

DELANOY E. TERRILL, OF COPENHAGEN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF TO JUDSON F. HADOOOK, OF SAME PLACE.

CHANGABLE BILLOF=FARE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,765, dated October 23, 1828. Application filed August E21, 1888. Serial No. 283,318. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, DnLANoY E. TERRILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Copenhagen, in the county of Lewis and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Changeable Bill-of-Fare; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to `make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figuresofreferencemarkcd thereon,whicl1 form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in devices for use upon the tables of hotels and restaurants for indicating the bill-of-fare.

The object of the invention is to generally improve upon the construction and render more efficient in operation that class of devices in which the names of the several articles constituting the billvof-fare areeither printed or oth. erwise affixed tothe faces of slides or strips of wood or metal,which are so arranged as to be capable of removal or change from time to time when such removal or change may be found either necessary or desirable.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may relate the same consists in the peculiar combinations and in the novel construction7 arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which like letters refer to the same parts throughout the several views.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a perspective View illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detail of one of the trays.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a shallow tray, made, preferably, of sheet metal. The edges extending along the opposite longitudinal sides of this tray are turned upward, so as to form the sides B,which,it will be observed, are much lower than the ends of the tray, for

a purpose which will hereinafter more clearly be explained.

D D are strips of metal or other suitablesubstance. These strips are of such length as will permit them to be fitted transversely within the tray, and upon each of these strips it is designed to print or otherwise suitably affix the name of an article.

O2 is aplate of glass which forms a face or covering for the strips D. This glass is designed to beheld in place by means of a metallic strip, E, which is extended across the back of the tray,and its ends are lapped over the edges of the glass,where they serveto hold the glass firmly against the face of the strips, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 3.

F is a spring, one end of which issecured to the outer face of the end of the tray. This spring is extended across the end of the tray, and serves a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

It will be seen that by removing the glass C2 the strips may be readily removed from the tray, or their arrangement therein may be modified, as desired. It is designed that these trays should be fitted within a suitable case or standard, which may be placed upon a hotel or restaurant table.

I do not in this connection desire to limit myself to any particular forinvof case or standard for receiving the trays, as it is evident that a great variety of cases might be used for this purpose.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have shown a convenient and desirable form of case for this use. This case is constructed of sheet metal, and is designed to be plated or otherwise ornamented. The two opposite aces of the ease are each provided with an opening of suitable size to display the sections D. The form of the case is such that when the trays containing the strips are in position the upper ends of the trays will be in contact, as seen in Fig. 2. Extending transversely across the bottom of the ease, one upon each side and directly beare the ledges @,which serve to the lower edge of the tray For convenience in handling shown at H, may be neath the tray, receive and retain when in place. the case a handle, such as provided.

IOO

In operation, the tray having been removed, the keeper E is moved so as to permit the glass to be lifted off. Access being thus obtained to the removable strips, they are arranged as desired, and are again secured in place by replacing the glass and sliding the keeper into position. The tray is then placed in position in the case, it being passed upward from the bottom of the case. In lifting the tray, so as to raise the bottom edge of the same clear of the upwardly-inclined inner edge of the ledge a, the spring F upon the upper end of the tray is compressed against the upper end of the intcrior of the case, and it will be seen that this contact of the spring will serve to insure the retention of the tray in place and will prevent possible displacement of the same in moving the case from place to place.

While I have described the use of glass as a transparent covering suitable for displaying the removable stri ps,and I deem such use preferable,still it is evident that other substancessuch as micamay be used in place of the glass, and I should consider the use of any transparent substance an equivalent of the glass which I have described.

Having thus described the preferable form of my invention, what I claim as new is l. The tray formed with turned-up ends and sides, combined with the removable indicating-strips held in said tray by said turned-np portions and by a removable keeper, substantiall y as described.

strips, and the keeper E, formed with anged ends extending across the back of the tray, and said flanged ends engaging said glass and holding the same and the strips in place, sub` stantially as shown and described.

4. The combinatiomwith the case, of theremovable tray carrying the indicating-strips and a spring arranged between the upper end of said tray and the case,substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, with the case provided upon its inner walls near the bottom with the ledges a, of the tray carrying the indicatingstrips removably inserted within said ease and engaging the said ledges at its lower end,and at its upper end provided with a spring, substantially as shown vand described, and for the purpose specified.

In testimony WhereofI affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. v

DELANCY E. TERRILL.

Witnesses:

JAMEs JoHNsToN, GEORGE KErsER. 

